07/02/2015
A Balanced 4th of July Barbecue
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Kosher Nutritious
by Caroline Sharvit
July 4th is not a religious holiday, however, many of our American ideals are predicated on Biblical values. As I was contemplating how revolutionary it was for our Founding Fathers to recognize that individuals have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a world where most people were subject to tyranny, I realized that for much of the world, not much has changed.
And so, I feel tremendous "hakarat hatov", or gratitude, to the leaders who envisioned America and made it a sustainable reality. This great country of ours shows kindness in the form of freedom not only to its citizens, but reaches out across the world to those in need. From liberating Europe during WWII to sending humanitarian aid to people devastated by natural disasters, I am grateful and proud to live in a country that is truly an "oomah shel Chesed" – a nation of loving kindness.
On this Independence Day, let’s celebrate our country by practicing acts of chesed, loving kindness. Maybe it means delivering extra food you prepared to your local police or fire station, or inviting an elderly neighbor to partake in your festivities. Try to reach out to those in our community that may not be able to celebrate with friends and family.
I am happy to share with you a healthy, no-fuss barbecue menu that will only take about an hour of prep time, leaving you the rest of the day to enjoy with family and friends.
Wishing you a happy, safe 4th of July!
Healthy BBQ Recipes
Please note: To promote food safety and prevent cross contamination, I recommend preparing and grilling lettuce, marinated vegetables, potatoes, and pineapple before preparing and grilling the chicken. Store all food in the fridge until ready to grill.Grilled Balsamic Baby Romaine Lettuce
Print-Friendly Recipe
Ingredients:
4 Romaine hearts or baby romaine lettuce heads, 2 outer leaf layers removed and bottom end trimmed, if necessary ¼ c. balsamic vinegar 1 small clove garlic, crushed 2 tbsp. olive oil salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat grill to burn off burn off charred remains, if needed. Brush grates well and lower heat to medium (about 400).
- Cut lettuce in half, lengthwise and rinse well, especially in between outermost layers.
- Place lettuce cut side down and allow to drain on paper towels while you make the marinade.
- Whisk together marinade ingredients.
- Pour or brush on both sides of lettuce heads.
- Let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Place cut side down on grill and turn every 3-4 minutes until desired level of doneness is reached.
Grilled Marinated Vegetable Skewers
Print-Friendly Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Zucchini 1 Yellow squash 10-12 cherry tomatoes 1 pepper, any color 1 small eggplant 10-12 pearl onion, peel on Or any vegetables of your choosing, such as mushrooms, brussel sprouts, fennel, red onion, etc… Metal or wood shish-kebab skewers
Directions:
- Preheat grill to burn off burn off charred remains, if needed. Brush grates well and lower heat to medium (about 400).
- Cut lettuce in half, lengthwise and rinse well, especially in between outermost layers.
- Place lettuce cut side down and allow to drain on paper towels while you make the marinade.
- Whisk together marinade ingredients.
- Pour or brush on both sides of lettuce heads.
- Let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Place cut side down on grill and turn every 3-4 minutes until desired level of doneness is reached.
Grilled Potatoes
Print-Friendly Recipe
Ingredients:
1 pkg. baby red or yellow potatoes (the very small ones, not more than 2” in diameter), washed but not dried 1 tsp. cumin ½ tsp. garlic powder 1-2 tbsp. olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1 disposable aluminum pan
Directions:
- Place baby potatoes in disposable pan.
- Sprinkle with spices and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Shake container so potatoes are evenly coated.
- Place on medium hot grill (about 400-425) and allow to cook about 30 minutes. Grab the edge of the container with tongs and give it a good shake every 10 minutes or so to turn the potatoes so they cook evenly.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool several minutes before opening.
Grilled Pineapple
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Ingredients:
1 pineapple, peel removed, and sliced into 1/3”-1/2” thick slices ¼ c. balsamic vinegar 3 tbsp. olive oil Sprinkle of salt and crushed black pepper, optional
Directions:
- Slice pineapple and place on foil lined cookie sheet.
- Mix vinegar, olive oil and spices and drizzle on pineapple.
- Allow to marinate for about 30 minutes.
- Grill on medium heat (400-435), turning about every 4 minutes until soft, and grill marks are pronounced.
- *Serve this for dessert with other seasonal fresh fruit, if desired.
Grilled Lemon Chicken
Print-Friendly Recipe
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breast halves sliced in half (for 8 pieces, total) Marinade: Juice from 2 limes and 2 lemons 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1/3 c. olive oil ½ bunch cilantro, chopped salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Place chicken in container.
- Mix marinade and pour over chicken.
- Allow to marinate for several hours in fridge, up to overnight.
- Place chicken on medium heat grill (400-450).
- Turn every 4-5 minutes until done, about 8-10 minutes per side.
Whether the motivation is weight management, athletic performance or disease management, clinical nutritionist, Caroline Sharvit, helps clients incorporate their food preferences within the framework of a healthy food plan and promotes long term strategies aimed at achieving weight and wellness goals..
Caroline holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
She provides nutrition counseling for children and adults through Tree of Knowledge, an educational services provider in Cleveland, Ohio.
